See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Putin is NOT Gay (Cartoon)
Could New Technology End the Pipeline Safety Debate? (Guest Voice)
Could New Technology End the Pipeline Safety Debate? by James Stafford The 2010 Kalamazoo spill and the 2013 Exxon leak in Arkansas are the most glaring incidents, but these are just the big leaks that are found right away and reported. Most leaks are found eventually—but there is money to be saved and damage to be avoided by catching them at the smallest rupture. Right … [Read more...] about Could New Technology End the Pipeline Safety Debate? (Guest Voice)
Will elephants be extinct within 12 years?
Here's a fact: every 15 minutes of every day an elephant is killed because of its ivory. And here's what an expert contends is a fact-to-be: within 12 years elephants will be extinct, the victim largely of poachers who sell their ivory and customers who buy it. The expert: Dr Dame Daphne Sheldrick, talking from charity’s base in Nairobi National Park, in Kenya. Monday was … [Read more...] about Will elephants be extinct within 12 years?
Two Weeks Left to Apply for Mars Crew
Two Weeks Left to Apply for Mars Crew (via Dice News in Tech) The prospect of joining the first team to colonize Mars has proven to be so wildly alluring that more than 100,000 people have applied for a spot – despite the fact they’ll only get a one-way ticket. The Dutch company Mars One plans to launch two… … [Read more...] about Two Weeks Left to Apply for Mars Crew
Booker wins New Jersey Democratic U.S. Senate primary election
Booker wins Democratic U.S. Senate primary election (via NJ.com) NEWARK — Newark Mayor Cory Booker has easily prevailed in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, the Associated Press projects. Results show Booker well ahead of his three rivals: U.S. Reps. Rush Holt (D-6th Dist.) and Frank Pallone (D-12th Dist.), and… … [Read more...] about Booker wins New Jersey Democratic U.S. Senate primary election
Paula Deen wins court battle that crumbled her empire. Does it matter?
Paula Deen wins court battle that crumbled her empire. Does it matter? (via The Christian Science Monitor) In this publicity image released by NBC, celebrity chef Paula Deen appears on NBC's "Today" show in June in New York. A federal judge dismissed a racial discrimination case against Ms. Deen, but experts feel the damage to her reputation is already done… … [Read more...] about Paula Deen wins court battle that crumbled her empire. Does it matter?
Opinion: War of Words With Rand Paul Gives Christie a Taste of National Politics
Opinion: War of Words With Rand Paul Gives Christie a Taste of National Politics (via NJSpotlight) Gov. Chris Christie dipped his big toe into the turbulent waters of domestic surveillance a few weeks ago, only to have it gnawed on by fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul (KY), a leading libertarian and potential presidential candidate in 2016. Within… … [Read more...] about Opinion: War of Words With Rand Paul Gives Christie a Taste of National Politics
De Blasio rises and Weiner withers in new NYC Democratic Primary Poll
A new poll of how candidates vying to fun for New York City Mayor are doing in their Democratic primary battle shows New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio in the lead and former Rep. Anthony Weiner virtual political history: New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio leads the Democratic primary field for the city's 2013 mayoral elections, according to a … [Read more...] about De Blasio rises and Weiner withers in new NYC Democratic Primary Poll
All San Diego Hooters Restaurants Put Up Posters Refusing to Serve Mayor Bob Filner (Updated)
Will this finally be enough to get beset San Diego Mayor Bob Filner to resign? Slate offers the photo above Tweeted by a top San Diego County Republican Party official showing a poster now up at all of Hooters' four San Diego County locations declaring the eateries' refusal to serve Filner. Dave Weigel adds this bit of reporting: "The signs went up at our four … [Read more...] about All San Diego Hooters Restaurants Put Up Posters Refusing to Serve Mayor Bob Filner (Updated)
Malaria vaccine breakthrough (Guest Voice)
Malaria vaccine breakthrough by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -- When approached with the concept for producing the PfSPZ malaria vaccine, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, thought it technically unfeasible. Actually, he called it "crazy." His skepticism was overcome in a … [Read more...] about Malaria vaccine breakthrough (Guest Voice)
The great Mexican gamble: Can Big Oil save the country’s economy? (Guest Voice)
The great Mexican gamble: Can Big Oil save the country's economy? (via GlobalPost) Enlarge The structures used to process oil at a Mexican state-owned Pemex refinery in Tula, Hidalgo state, Mexico. On Aug. 12, 2013, President Enrique Peña Nieto called for constitutional changes to open Mexico's moribund petroleum and electricity… … [Read more...] about The great Mexican gamble: Can Big Oil save the country’s economy? (Guest Voice)
What NSA reforms?
WASHINGTON -- President Obama's message about the government's massive electronic surveillance programs came through loud and clear: Get over it. The president used more soothing words in his pre-vacation news conference Friday, but that was the gist. With perhaps the application of a fig leaf here and a sheen of legalistic mumbo jumbo there, the snooping will continue. … [Read more...] about What NSA reforms?
I’ll See Your NSA And Raise You A TSA
Did you know that the Transportation Security Administration, TSA, has nearly quadrupled the number of mobile security squads it employs outside of airports? Oh, Wait. Let’s back up. Did you know that TSA is using mobile security squads in locations outside of airports? Yes, that’s the same no-belt-no-shoes-empty-your-pockets-pat-down TSA that you encounter at the airport. … [Read more...] about I’ll See Your NSA And Raise You A TSA
DNI James Clapper to Pick Intelligence Review Panel Despite Lying to Congress
It seems that President Obama is sending the fox to guard the hen house, as in the case of James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, picking a panel of 'independent experts' to review the government's surveillance programs. The members on the panel will also report to Clapper, the Washington Post reports. Excuse me for my lack of faith in this process and the … [Read more...] about DNI James Clapper to Pick Intelligence Review Panel Despite Lying to Congress
Elon Musk vs. The Downers
Over on Memeorandum there's only a couple of articles on this subject and I thought they missed one of the best. Molly Wood on CNet pushes back against the naysayers in "Hyperloop: Why can't we believe in the big ideas?". I have to admit that I've wondered that myself when looking at the reaction to ideas that I would love to see come to fruition someday as a long time SF fan … [Read more...] about Elon Musk vs. The Downers
And She Called Her Son Messiah – Until The Judge Forced A Name Change
This story came out over the weekend and is beginning to gain wider attention. It's another example of people using their positions of power to project their religious views on others and why things like the First Amendment, including free expression and separation of church and state, matter. The place is Cocke County Tennessee. That’s in the Appalachian foothills. … [Read more...] about And She Called Her Son Messiah – Until The Judge Forced A Name Change
Deep Down, Sparkman and Hill Not Anti Civil Rights, Just Political Cowards
As Civil Rights legislation was clearing Congress in the 1960s, the Southern caucus would prove stubborn holdouts. Members who signed the “Southern Manifesto” fought tooth and nail against any and all legislation designed to advance racial progress. But evidence exists that at least a couple of those Senators didn’t really believe what they were preaching, that they were simply … [Read more...] about Deep Down, Sparkman and Hill Not Anti Civil Rights, Just Political Cowards
(Video Parody): Filner Blurred Lines video musical parody urging him to resign
My former employer the San Diego Union Tribune offers on its U-T TV website this musical video parody about the clamor to have San Diego Mayor Bob Filner resign after 14 women have come forward (and this number could be going up in coming days) to accuse him in often graphic deal of sexual harrassing or groping them: Read my take and summary on the Filner controversy … [Read more...] about (Video Parody): Filner Blurred Lines video musical parody urging him to resign
Republicans and the Environment
If you need a measuring stick to see just how far Republicans have moved to the right since the terms of Nixon and Reagan, it’s staring you in the face in a recent OpEd article written by four former Republican heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (http://goo.gl/6N5QvE) For those conservatives who are burdened with selective amnesia, they should remember that the … [Read more...] about Republicans and the Environment
Sexual Harassment: A Less Politically Correct Look
Feminist icons like Gloria Steinem and the late Betty Friedan, who were long-time colleagues and friends of mine, might see this as “blaming the victim,” but that is 180 degrees from what I have in mind. I spent decades editing women’s magazines, hiring generations of bright, ambitious young women. As years went by, it was like standing at the stern of an ocean liner, … [Read more...] about Sexual Harassment: A Less Politically Correct Look